Page 89 of Always Be an Us

The thought of breaking off what I have with Emma makes me slightly breathless with anxiety. Like my world gets a little darker without her in it.

I don't want to think of what that means for us when I eventually have to leave Lakewood.

I stop by the police station on my way back, realizing I forgot to tell the officer about the few times I believed that there was an intruder on my property. Once or twice, I’ve sensed something rustling in the bushes across the lake. I’ve always thought it was an animal, but there would be nothing there when I approached.

It may or may not be related to the pearls in the basement, but I should probably mention it just in case.

Although I doubt the elderly cop I spoke to cared much about doing a thorough investigation. They’re certainly not the NYPD, but I guess I have no choice but to rely on the local police at this stage.

Perhaps,I can hire my own private investigator...if this goes nowhere.

As I pull up into the parking lot, I spot the older officer I spoke to earlier locking up the front door. I frown as I park the Suburban and climb out. It’s not even dark yet.

"Things close this early in Lakewood?" I inquire as I approach him. He spins around and notices it’s me.

"Don’t sneak up on me like that, bud," he says, pressing a hand over his chest. "You’re liable to give me a heart attack."

I don’t point out that, as a cop, he should probably have better reflexes and environmental awareness. I’m used to things in Lakewood not working as they should.

Instead, I read the sign by the door that bears the working hours. "That says you close up at eight."

He glances at it. "Yes, but that’s just a few hours from now. Besides, I got called over to Old Man Crane's house and there’s no one else here to cover my shift."

I cock my head at him, alarm clanging in my skull. "What?"

"Yeah. Eddie was supposed to come in today, but he got into it with his old lady, and you wouldn’t believe what she did to his truck tires –"

"I couldn’t give two shits about Eddie’s truck tires," I snarl at him and he takes a step back affronted. "What do you mean you called out to Crane's house?"

"Oh." He frowns. "Well...I just got a call from his granddaughter that someone broke into the house and messed up the place. I’m going over there to check it out."

A ringing starts in my ears, and it echoes the sudden, rapid beat of my chest. It’s a sensation that grows and grows until I think I go crazy.

Emma.

Someone broke into Emma’s house.

I just left her there and someone broke into her house.

The terror almost renders me speechless, but I have to ask, "Is she okay?"

"I think so. She said she wasn’t there when it happened, so she doesn’t know who did it. She showed up after her house got broken into."

A modicum of relief floods through me. At least I didn’t leave her with a fucking intruder who could have attacked her or done God knows what to her.

Jesus don't even think about it. The thought of it makes me sick and raging mad.

My mind still runs wild with dizzying possibilities. When did the break-in happen? This morning? Or last night?

God, what would have happened if she’d gone home last night? Would she have met the bastard?

I break out into cold sweat just thinking about it. Was it some divine intervention that made her sleep at my house yesterday? Or did she already feel something was wrong?

Was that why she didn't want to go home? In that case, why didn’t she fucking tell me? I never would have left her alone if I knew.

"You know, bud, people would like you better if you smiled more and didn't look like you wanted to murder people all the time."

I glare at the officer who holds his hands up defensively. "Just making an observation. Anyway, I gotta go now."

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